


Moving Out

by Polyhexian



Series: Humanformers: The Music AU [45]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Humanformers, M/M, POV Third Person, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26727244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polyhexian/pseuds/Polyhexian
Summary: Rewind has an uncomfortable question for Chromedome.
Relationships: Chromedome/Rewind (Transformers)
Series: Humanformers: The Music AU [45]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859230
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Moving Out

"Hey, Stormy," said Rewind, "What are you up to?"

Brainstorm looked up from his macbook, held over his crossed legs where he was sitting on the couch. He smiled politely.

"Apartments," he answered, "I don't have much time until the new semester starts and I _have_ to go back now. I don't want to just stagnate."

"I know," Rewind smiled sadly, "You know I never asked you to leave, right? You're allowed to stay longer. You don't have to go."

Brainstorm waved a hand dismissively. "I've been in your hair long enough. I'm a grown man, I can take care of myself."

"I don't think you can't," said Rewind, "but you've been through a lot. I don't want you to have to worry about where you live when you're trying to finish a PhD. You've got enough to worry about."

"I'll be okay," Brainstorm assured him, looking back at his laptop screen, "I've been taking care of myself for a long time. I haven't forgotten how to do it in the last six months, promise." 

Rewind hesitated, unsure what to say, before he sighed. "Okay. Whatever you want. The offer stays on the table though, okay?"

"I really appreciate it," Brainstorm answered with a polite smile, "Along with everything else. You've done a lot for me and I'm really grateful." 

"I've been happy to do it," Rewind told him, "You're my friend." 

Brainstorm paused, and looked up at him. "You're _my_ friend. Thank you."

Rewind gave him a smile and then shrugged. "I'm going to head to bed. Turn off the light when you're done."

"I will!" Brainstorm waved. Rewind turned away and went back up the stairs to his bedroom, his heart sinking, morose. 

"Hey hun," Chromedome said without turning around as Rewind opened the door, changing into his pajamas.

"Hey," said Rewind somberly. Chromedome paused and looked back at him.

"What's wrong?" Chromedome blinked. Rewind grimaced and shook his head, crossing the room to sit down on the mattress with a deep sigh. Chromedome sat down behind him and put a hand against his back, steadying. "Rewind. What's wrong?" 

"I'm worried about Brainstorm," Rewind murmured.

"Is he still talking about moving out?"

"He's downstairs looking at apartments," Rewind answered, his stomach rolling, "I keep thinking about him all alone, with all the stress of finishing a PhD and all I can think is that it's going to kill him."

Chromedome chewed the inside of his mouth and then nodded. "Yeah."

"Can't you talk to him? He listens to _you._ "

"Not about this," Chromedome shook his head, "Brainstorm has a whole… thing about being self-sufficient. He doesn't like the idea of not being able to take care of himself. He's not going to listen to me about this, not when he's convinced himself he's a burden."

Rewind chewed his lip and then fell down against the mattress on his back, crossing his arms behind his head. "I'm going to ask you an uncomfortable question. Will you promise to answer and not to freak out?" 

Chromedome stiffened, immediately anxious. He swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, I- I promise."

"Do you have feelings for Stormy? You know, romantically." Rewind asked, tilting his head toward him. 

Chromedome's whole demeanor shifted, alarmed. "You think I would cheat on you? Rewind, I would _never-_ " 

"No, no, baby, no," Rewind hushed him, rolling onto his side to reach up and cup his face, palm against his cheek, "I trust you. I know you wouldn't. That's not what I asked."

Chromedome's lips twitched, knitting his brow together. "I- he's my best friend. I care a lot about him."

"Would you want to date him if you weren't dating me?"

Chromedome's shoulders tightened and his mouth wobbled. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"Oh my god, Domey," Rewind huffed, and he sat up, pulling Chromedome into a hug, "I'm not leaving you. I love you. You know I love you. What I want to _know_ is if, in addition to and separate from your feelings for me, you _also_ have feelings for Brainstorm."

Chromedome tightened his hands against Rewind's back and hesitated in thought. "I don't want to answer that question. I can't answer it honestly and I'm not supposed to say stuff like that."

Rewind leaned back and brushed a hand over Chromedome's cheek consolingly. "Why not?"

Chromedome shrugged and looked down at his lap. "You're just… you're just not supposed to."

"I won't be upset," Rewind said gently, "having feelings isn't infidelity or something. You're not Catholic anymore, remember?" Chromedome scowled at him. "No thought crimes here. Come on."

Chromedome fidgeted, clearly fighting himself over what to say before he sighed long and deep and then said, his entire posture oozing guilt and shame, "Yes. I'm sorry. I- I promise I would never, _ever_ betray you, not in any way, I would _never-_ "

"Shhh, shh," Rewind soothed, "I know. I know. It's okay. You've not done anything wrong. You don't need to be sorry. I love you, Domey, and I know you love me. It's alright." Chromedome relaxed somewhat, but was still visibly upset. 

"I feel bad, though," Chromedome admitted, "I'm not supposed to feel that way." 

"It's not a bad thing," Rewind reassured him, "Do you remember what polyamory is?"

"Yeah, like how Whirl lives with Cyclonus and Tailgate, I remember," Chromedome nodded.

"You can have feelings for more than one person, it doesn't mean you're chopping it up like a pie chart. Love isn't a finite resource."

"I guess that makes sense," Chromedome mused.

Rewind watched him for a moment. "I have feelings for him, too."

It took Chromedome a moment to react, before he sat up, tilting his head to the side. "What?" 

"Do _not_ spiral on me," Rewind warned him, "I love you, I'm keeping you, nothing is changing that. But I _like_ him. I like him a _lot._ I see why you've spent so much of your life living with him."

Chromedome shifted, thoughtful. "Okay. Well. Hang on, then." He sat up and covered his mouth with his hand, screwing up his face in thought, "Well. If I like him, and you like him, then- I mean- is he Whirl in this situation? Is that it?"

Rewind tittered with laughter. "God, you're so sheltered."

"I'm keeping up!" Chromedome huffed, "I'm just a little slow on the uptake, okay, my parents are _Republicans,_ what do you _expect_ from me?" 

"Nothing, Domey, you're just fine," Rewind smiled, "Well. Yeah, I guess that was what I was thinking. I'm almost _certain_ he's like, madly in love with you already."

Chromedome squinted at him. "No way. I would be able to tell."

"You're kind of dense, Domey."

"I know!" Chromedome exclaimed, "But I would be able to tell something like _that!_ " 

"We'll have to agree to disagree, but- we don't _have_ to. Just so you know. We don't _have_ to do anything. But what I've been working up to asking you is if we _should_ ask him out."

Chromedome blinked at him. "Can we do that? Like, just like that?"

"We can do anything we want." 

Chromedome thought about it. "I don't want him to leave. Having him here has been… really great. I didn't even realize how badly I missed him until he was back."

"I love having him here," Rewind sighed, and leaned down on one elbow, "Having both of you here."

"So- so if we have feelings for him, and he _also_ does then he would know he's not a burden, and he might actually _stay_ ," Chromedome brightened, but Rewind waved a hand at him.

"He might also not, Domey. He might not want that kind of relationship at all, and that might make him want to leave _more_. We don't know how he feels until we ask him." 

Chromedome worried his lip. "I think we should tell him either way. Full disclosure, you know?"

"Well, trust and honesty _is_ what I asked of you," Rewind commented with a lilting smile, "I think you're right. Let's not rush into anything though. Give it a few days to make sure you don't change your mind, okay? Let's do this right."

Chromedome nodded, crossing his legs. "You know, I never would have even thought of this kind of thing as an option if you didn't suggest it, but- I'm really excited, now. I mean, we've effectively been dating him for months anyway, haven't we? I don't think he can actually sleep unless he's curled up in my lap."

"Or mine," Rewind chuckled, "That's probably not healthy, though."

"Probably not, but I think he's got a lot of things on his coping to-do list right now," Chromedome commented ruefully, and then paused, expression becoming serious, "Hey. I love you." 

Rewind smiled fondly at him and leaned up to press their lips together, soft and sweet. "I love you, too."


End file.
